Planets War: Children of Earth

Lolcos stepped into the jail cell with Yvin. Inside were four young children. "Yvin. Get my holorecorder," Lolcos said.
Yvin darted out the cell, leaving Lolcos and the children alone. "Do you four know why you are here?" Lolcos asked.
"No," the only female had said.
"You are to be a ransom. If Masiyoshi Kozumi doesn't bring the technology needed to finish the KZD-01, we will simply kill you and find a new way to 'negotiate'."
The children looked shocked. Yvin returned with a metallic disc. "Start recording!"

Masiyoshi was in a meeting with the leader of the United States, Mexico, and China, when his holoreceiver bleeped, meaning he had a new message. He stood up. "Excuse me. I'll be back in a minute," Masiyoshi said, walking out the room, opening the message.
A hologram of his enemy, Lolcos appeared. "Hello again, Masiyoshi. We figured that the combined strength of Earth's nations was enough to defeat the Kazinites in Japan, so we figured it would be a waste of time to attack you again for our needed technology.
"This time we demand the technology, or we will kill 4 innocent Earth children."
The holoreceiver was focused on 4 children tied together.
"The blueprints have been attached to this message. If you do not arrive with the technology, we will end these children's lives," Lolcos said, before the hologram faded.
Masiyoshi walked back into the meeting. "Lolcos is back," was all Masiyoshi had said.
"Why? Doesn't he know that he will lose again if he decides to attack?" James Dickson, leader of the United States asked.
"He has four children. I need to deliver the technology, or they will be killed!" Masiyoshi shouted.
"How do you intend on outsmarting the Kazinites?" Rico Pedrez, leader of Mexico asked.
"I don't plan on outsmarting them. I have a different approach."

The technology was delivered to Masiyoshi within an hour. He walked over to his own personal carrier ship, the JT-1. His royal pilot, Jirokichi sat in the cockpit.
"Did the message contain coordinates?" Jirokichi asked.
"We decrypted the coordinates from the message," Masiyoshi explained, then told Jirokichi the coordinates.
His holoreceiver buzzed, the sign of a live-message. Lolcos appeared in a hologram. "Do you have the technology?" Lolcos asked.
"I'm in my ship to deliver it. I'll be by in a few minutes," Masiyoshi stated.
"Good. When you arrive, land in Cargo Bay 22. We'll be waiting there with Virolvv."
Masiyoshi shuddered. Virolvv, the leader of the Kazinite empire would be awaiting his arrival. How was his plan to work now?

Virolvv walked down to Cargo Bay 22 with his torture robot, TT2-KZ moving the children forward with a shock staff. He met up with Lolcos. "Is everything as planned?" Virolvv asked.
"Yes. Masiyoshi is arriving with the technology. One thing is uncertain though. What if he retaliates? We will have a problem there."
"I have come up with that. If he will retaliate, he will be stopped by my newest project."
"Doctor Noynock had finished Project ETHF on Earth before he was arrested?" Lolcos asked.
"He is a good synthetic scientist. Eventually we will attack the base that holds him, but for now, we shall greet our visitors."

Jirokichi landed the ship in the cargo bay. Masiyoshi carefully hid a small pistol in his pocket, and walked out with the technology.
Lolcos stood next to Sergeant Yvin, a robot, and a hooded figure. Masiyoshi approached them. "A deal is a deal, Lolcos. I have the technology."
He handed him a small component. Lolcos glared at it. "This is the component needed for our secondary project. Where is the one for the the doom weapon?"
"I think I left it in my pocket," Masiyoshi said, searching his pocket, and pulling the small pistol out. He pointed it at Virolvv.
Yvin, Lolcos, and the robots lifted their weapons. Jirokichi ran out the ship, with a gun aimed at Virolvv.
"Lower your weapons or Virolvv will be killed!" Masiyoshi shouted.
"Stand down!" Lolcos said.
Lolcos, Yvin, and the robot placed their weapons on the ground. Virolvv looked at them from behind his hood. "You are making a great mistake, Masiyoshi," Virolvv said.
"Now you are in the perfect position for arrest. How is that a mistake?" Masiyoshi asked.
A door to his far left was opened, and another hooded figure emerged. "Two Virolvvs?" Jirokichi said.
The new Virolvv lifted up his hood, revealing a red face, which should have been green. Masiyoshi aimed his pistol at the newcomer. "Who are you?"
The newcomer had a synthetic-like voice. "I am Subject E, or Eon. I am one of Virolvv's four clones."
"You're unarmed! You're no threat!" Jirokichi shouted.
Eon lifted his arms, and positioned them in Jirokichi's direction. "You are wrong. I am very much armed!"
Fire was shot toward Jirokichi. He tried to get out of the way. One out of two of the humans were gone.
Lolcos, Yvin, and the robot lifted their weapons, aimed at Masiyoshi. Virolvv looked at Masiyoshi. "TT2. Cuff him and take him to cell 51B."
The robot walked up to Masiyoshi, and placed electronic cuffs around his hands, and escorted him to the prison sector.
Yvin searched the JT-1 and found the needed technology. "We have what we need. Begin installing the chip," Lolcos said.

The children were placed in their usual cell. Two soldiers were positioned inside to guard the four. "We have to get out of here," one of the children said.
"How, Ramuzei? The guards have guns!" one of the other children asked.
The female of the group spoke up. "When our leader was cuffed, he dropped his pistol. I took it."
"Kohan. Are you crazy?" one of them asked.
"They will kill us soon. It's the only way we will get out."
"We are still tied together," one of the children pointed out.
"I have a knife in my pocket. It could cut the electric coil," one said.
"Okay A-ban. Cut the coils," Kohan demanded.
A-ban cut the coils while the guards were talking. Kohan fired at one of the guards, hitting him in the leg. She fired again at the same guard, and shot his stomach.
The other guard aimed his pistol at her, but was stabbed by A-ban in the foot. He shouted for pain, giving Ramuzei and another child named Edo the chance to take the guard's keys. They unlocked the cell and ran out, locking it.
The stabbed guard spoke into his radio. "The children have escaped! We need reinforcements down here!"
He grabbed for his pistol, but noticed it was missing. "Armed reinforcements."

Masiyoshi looked out the cell at his guard. He was on the radio. Masiyoshi could make out the message. "Escaped prisoners. Be on high alert."
Masiyoshi looked to the guard. "It looks like my rescue party has arrived."
"They're just children. They'll be taken out by the time they get here."
Masiyoshi reached through the electrobars, and lifted his hands to get a choking stance on the guard.
He choked, and breathed for his life, but Masiyoshi had killed his guard. Masiyoshi grabbed the cuff keys, and the cell key, and walked out, grabbing the pistol on the way.
Three guards ran up to the scene, but Masiyoshi quickly shot all three of them before they could get anywhere.

Lolcos got a message from a guard in the prison sector. "Masiyoshi and the children have escaped! We need reinforcements!"
He looked at Eon. "Reinforcements are on their way."

Ramuzei heard gunfire in the next hallway. "I think that Japan's leader is in this hallway!"
"Let's go then!"
Masiyoshi stood in the center of 5 guards, with his hands up. Ramuzei and Kohan fired at two of the guards. The remaining three aimed their guns at Ramuzei and Kohan, giving Masiyoshi the chance to retrieve his gun, and shoot down the last ones.
Kohan, Ramuzei, Edo, and A-ban rushed up to Masiyoshi. "How were you guys captured?" Masiyoshi asked.
"We didn't hear the city notification, so we went outside, and were captured."
The sound of a large inferno interrupted the conversation. Eon stood in the hallway, with a flame in his palm. "How did you manage to escape?" he asked.
"Virolvv's defenses aren't as good as they appear. He is an idiot, and considering you share his DNA, you aren't any better than he is!" Masiyoshi said.
Eon shot a ball of fire at Masiyoshi. He ducked in time to still be alive. The children ran into a different hallway, while Masiyoshi and Eon fought. "What is your master's purpose?!" Masiyoshi shouted.
"Virolvv created his empire to get revenge upon the ones responsible for killing his father, the Kanza," Eon explained. "After failing to save him with medicine, he attacked the leader of the Kanza, Kanzaburou Kozumi, your great-grandfather."
"Why destroy the whole planet then?" Masiyoshi asked.
"Nobody knows Virolvv's obsession with the destruction of Earth, just that if it isn't done, we'll pay."
Eon blasted a fireball at Masiyoshi again. Masiyoshi dodged, and shot a few blasts at Eon. The shots pierced Eon's skin. He leaned over.
Masiyoshi ran to Cargo Bay 22.

Masiyoshi pointed to a KZT-12 tank. "You guys hide in there. I have to stop the installation of the superweapon," Masiyoshi demanded.
"We'll be here when you get back," Kohan promised.
Masiyoshi walked out into the hall. Two armored Kazinite troopers had noticed him. "Stop where you are!" one of them shouted.
Masiyoshi didn't obey. He shot down the first, and quickly the second. After both fell to the floor, Masiyoshi walked past their bodies, but decided he should hide them and wear their armor so he won't be shot at again. He dragged the two into the cargo bay, and pulled on the armor.
He walked back into the hallway, and proceeded until he reached a dataport, a mechanical computer with schematics of a location. He turned it on, and a screen showed up, saying PASSCODE PLEASE.
Masiyoshi grumbled. How am I going to find the superweapon now?
A trooper came by. Masiyoshi approached him. "I'm new. What is the passcode to the dataport. I didn't listen to that part of the lesson."
The trooper looked at him. "It is simple. The passcode is your trooper ID. If your number is registered, you have access."
The trooper walked away. Masiyoshi glared down at the number etched into the armor. KAT-22329. He typed in that code, and a map of the ship showed up. The superweapon was at the bottom level of the ship. He hoped he'd get there soon, or Earth would be gone forever.

A squadron of three troopers walked into Cargo Bay 22, along with one commander. "Inspect the area. Those escapees could be anywhere."
One of the troopers looked under a ship, where two bodies lay. "Commander. I found two dead troopers. One is supposed to be AT, but doesn't have armor on."
The commander walked over. "I assume that Masiyoshi is wearing this man's armor," he said pulling out a comm device. "Keep searching. I'll be back in a minute."
The commander had left the room. A-ban looked at the vidscreens of the tank. "We'll be caught eventually. Now is the time to strike," he whispered.
"A charge from a tank will alert the whole ship," Kohan replied. "We have to wait for Masiyoshi to get back."
"Well, he'd better get back soon, or we're doomed."

Masiyoshi had arrived at the superweapon chamber. Sergeant Yvin approached the disguised human. "This area is restricted. Give me your business and number."
"I am trooper KAT-22329. Virolvv sent me down here to guard this area. Masiyoshi and the hostages have escaped."
Yvin glared at Masiyoshi. "Our guard has already arrived."
"Virolvv issued two guards for this area," Masiyoshi said.
Yvin's comm buzzed. He turned his face and answered. "Commander Kalin. Are you sure?"
Yvin looked back at Masiyoshi. "The convict you spoke of earlier is wearing armor of a Kazinite trooper. Before I can allow you in, I will need you to remove your helmet."
Masiyoshi reached for the helmet, but instead of taking it off, he hit Yvin hard in the face, making him fall over. He stepped inside, and looked at where the chip was being implanted.

One of the troopers got very close to the tank. "Is there an escape hatch in this?" Ramuzei whispered.
"Yes. Why?" Kohan asked.
"A-ban. You stay here and watch the vidscreen. Kohan, Edo, and I will launch a surprise attack on the troopers."
The escape hatch was opened from the bottom of the tank. Edo listened. The footsteps of the trooper were going away. "We're clear for an attack!"
They jumped out from under the tank, firing at the closest trooper, killing him. The other two troopers were on alert, and quickly began firing at them. Kohan and Edo rushed behind a Kazinite fighter, while Ramuzei was firing in the open. It was at that point that he was shot. Ramuzei fell. Kohan rushed up to him. "Ramuzei!"
There was no reply. Kohan dragged him back under the tank. "Edo. Get back in the tank!"
Edo quickly rushed back inside, with Kohan and Ramuzei behind. "A-ban. Shoot a charge at them! I don't care if it alerts the whole station! Just do it!"

Masiyoshi aimed at the chip, and fired. The workers around the firing tube watched as the chip broke into pieces. The other guard stationed pointed his weapon at Masiyoshi, and would have fired if a giant explosion hadn't thrown him backward.

Eon arrived at Cargo Bay 22. Two officers rushed to the scene. "What happened?" they asked him.
"The tank shot a hole through the prison sector," Eon replied.
The officers looked at each other. "This can't be good."
Several prisoners rushed out of the hole, running officers and troopers over to get to the ships. Behind the officers and Eon, Masiyoshi was running to the Cargo Bay. He ran over both the officers, and jumped into the JT-1, which was surprisingly not destroyed yet. The children followed. As soon as everyone was inside, Masiyoshi took off.

Virolvv glared at the rubble of the wall, and then at Eon. "Why didn't you kill Masiyoshi?"
"This cargo bay was filled with prisoners. I couldn't find him."
"Our officers say he ran past you."
"He did, but he was too fast to keep up with."
Virolvv accepted this, but knew that his clone was lying. Eon had been hiding something...

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With the children freed, and the needed technology destroyed, how will the Kazinites retaliate?
What is Eon hiding?
What about Virolvv's other clones?

Read the next story, Subject T to find out.